Heliyon最新文献

Background: Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is one of the microorganisms responsible for the pathology of root canals. We aimed in this study to determine the efficacy of two different pastes (calcium hydroxide combined with saline and calcium hydroxide combined with propolis) as a dressing material in eradicating E. faecalis from infected root canals.

Methods: Twenty extracted single-rooted and single-canalled first premolars randomly distributed into two equal groups of 10 teeth each. Each canal was first injected with the prepared bacterial suspension, which was cultured with E. faecalis aerobically in the incubator at 37 °C for 7 days. Then they were irrigated with NaOCl, and finally, groups 1 and 2 were stuffed with (calcium hydroxide + saline) and (calcium hydroxide + propolis) pastes, respectively. Both groups were cultured for 7 days in a moist environment. Bacterial colonies' units were counted at three different times (T0; after bacterial injection, T1; after NaOCl irrigation, and T2; after paste application). Data were analyzed using a T-test (P-value≤0.05) as the significance level.

Results: The mean value of the E. faecalis count at the time T2 was 0.030 for group 2, which is less and better than in group 1 (0.363). Statistical analysis showed that the difference in the E. faecalis count at T2 between the studied groups was 2.192 and a P-value of 0.042, indicating that there is a statistically significant difference between the two studied groups.

Conclusion: Propolis-containing paste had a remarkable ability to reduce the bacterial enumeration of E. faecalis in root canals.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that significantly heighten the risk of non-communicable diseases, affecting the quality of life (QOL) of millions, including the elderly. Hence, the study aims to assess the prevalence of MetS and its impact on QOL among elderly population, with a focus on gender differences.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 400 elderly participants sought care at Noakhali General Hospital, Noakhali, Bangladesh. MetS was diagnosed based on National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria, while QOL was assessed using the brief version of the World Health Organization's QOL (WHOQOL-BREF) tool.

Results: Results revealed that over 70 % of the elderly participants had MetS, with a significantly higher prevalence among females (79.2 %) compared to males (66.7 %). Gender disparities were also evident in QOL scores, with males reporting better outcomes across all domains-physical, psychological, social, and environmental. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that MetS negatively impacted the overall QOL for both genders, with more pronounced effects observed in females.

Conclusion: The findings underscore the necessity of gender-specific interventions targeting MetS management to improve the overall well-being of the elderly.

This paper examines the current state of food insecurity in Bangladesh and its socio-economic drivers using data from the latest Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES 2022). Unlike previous studies that relied on less precise measures of food insecurity, such as food expenditure, diversity, and calorie intake, this study employs the internationally recognized Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and Rasch model-based thresholds to classify households as food secure or insecure. Multilevel logistic regression is used to identify significant predictors of moderate and severe food insecurity, considering the hierarchical structure of the data, with households nested within geographical clusters. Key factors found to be significantly associated with food security include the wealth index, land ownership, education of the household head, family size, remittance income and exposure to shocks. A classification tree, a popular machine learning method, is also applied to explore important interactions among these determinants. The tree analysis confirms the importance of several regression-based predictors and identifies households at the highest risk of food insecurity through variable interactions. Factors such as poverty, lack of land ownership, low education levels, and high dependency ratios collectively increase a household's vulnerability to moderate food insecurity to around 51% while the national prevalence is 19%. District-level maps of food insecurity prevalence reveal significant regional disparities, underscoring the need for targeted, district-specific interventions to effectively combat food insecurity. More broadly, policies promoting education and family planning, training in better shock management, and facilitating remittance flows through simplified processes may contribute to addressing the food insecurity challenge.

The presence of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system in the superbug Pseudomonas (P) aeruginosa presents a unique opportunity to precisely target and edit bacterial genomes to modify their drug resistance. The objective was to detect the prevalence of CRISPR in extensively and pan-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to determine the utility of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for the analysis of the entire genome for such strains. The antimicrobial susceptibilities of one hundred isolates were assessed using the antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) card of the VITEK system. The presence of the CRISPR/Cas system was determined via specific primers using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Further, WGS was conducted using a DNA nanoball sequencing platform via BGI-Tech for the isolates of interest. Out of 54 resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, 33 (33.0 %) were metallo-β-lactamase producers. Cas1, Cas3, CRISPR1, and CRISPR2 were positive in 6.0 % of isolates, while incomplete CRISPR1-Cas systems alone were found in 15.0 %. Also, CRISPR2-type was found intact in 26 % of isolates. The prevalence of resistance to antimicrobials in P. aeruginosa isolates was significantly greater in the CRISPR/Cas-negative group compared to the CRISPR/Cas-positive. Significant relationships for variables were examined using Fisher's exact tests using Chi-squared and a P-value of <0.05 as a statistical threshold. Further, on examination of CRs as a collective entity, encompassing both extensive drug resistance (XDR) and pan-drug resistance (PDR), it becomes evident that the vast majority of these strains (n = 29; 87.8 %) lacked CRISPR/Cas systems. In phylogenic analysis, PDR-P. aeruginosa revealed a very close evolutionary relationship with those originating from Kazakhstan, while XDR was globally unique. Further, the entire genome showed the presence of unique virulence and resistant pseudomonal genes. The CRISPR/Cas system and drug resistance are antagonistic to one another. XDR and PDR P. aeruginosa represent a potential threat to public health and contribute to the seriousness of associated illnesses by leading to resistant infections. Further, WGS for the two strains revealed resistance to multiple antibiotics. It is important to examine specific antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pathways, which suggests that a significant number of resistant genes in these isolates indicate a loss of CRISPR genes in the two strains. Furthermore, the WGS approach can lead to a better understanding of the genomic mechanism of pseudomonal resistance to antibiotics.

Supercritical CO₂ modified by polar solvents can extract a wide variety of polar and non-polar chemical components compared to conventional methods. The current study aims to extract Rivas (Rheum ribes) flower using the ethanol modified supercritical CO₂ (SCO₂-EOH) method; analyze its chemical compounds and bioactivity, encapsulate the extract in maltodextrin, gum-Arabic (GA), and their combination (GA + MD) using the spray drying method and investigate the differences among microparticles using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The Rivas extract obtained by the SCO₂-EOH method was a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids (mainly linoleic acid: 57.58 %), phytosterols (mainly sitosterol: 197.02 and campesterol: 144.47 mg/100g), terpenoids (mainly camphor: 17.52 %; and 1,8-cineol: 10.91 %) and phenolics (mainly m-coumaric acid: 48.22; luteolin: 38.07 and gallic acid: 26.25 mg/g). The yield of Rivas extract was 1.62 ± 0.27 %. The extract bioactivity was as follows: antioxidant activity of 89.6 ± 1.39 %; total phenolic content of 306.19 ± 13.59 mg GAE/g; total flavonoid content of179.84 ± 5.77 mg QE/g and a comparable antimicrobial effect to synthetic antimicrobials against E. coli, L. monocytogenes, and A. fumigatus. The encapsulation efficiency of microparticles was 90.53 % for MD to 93.23 % for GA + MD (P < 0.05). The microparticles had irregular semi-spherical shapes with wrinkled surfaces. According to the PCA, MD showed the best solubility and the lowest price, making it a cost-effective ingredient to improve the nutritional-value of food formulations. If the stability of bioactive compounds is more important, GA + MD will be the best choice.

Geopolymerization is a soil improvement technique widely used for waste management in recent years. This study explores the potential of geopolymerization for roadbed improvement using waste materials. Recycled glass powder (RGP) and calcium carbide residue (CCR) were investigated as precursors and alkaline activators, respectively, to enhance the properties of silty sand soil. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis confirmed the presence of silicon dioxide in RGP and calcium oxide in CCR. The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test evaluated the effectiveness of treatments with varying RGP and CCR contents (2-5%) compared to traditional methods (2.5%lime/2.5%cement + RGP). The influence of RGP/CCR content, soaking conditions, and curing time on the stabilised soil was assessed. The geopolymer derived from RGP and CCR significantly improved the load-bearing capacity compared to untreated soil (unsoaked CBR: 85.5 % vs. 45.0 % at 28 days). Notably, soaked CBR increased fourfold after 28 days with the optimal geopolymer content (28.7 % vs. 7.5 %). Statistical analysis confirmed that stabiliser content and sample conditions significantly impacted strength development. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of geopolymer cement as a sustainable and strengthening alternative for soil treatment, promoting waste utilisation in infrastructure development.

This review examines the efficiency of live animal and meat value chain from producers to consumers in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has a large livestock population, but the marketing system for live animals and meat remains underdeveloped. Several challenges hinder efficient transactions, including poor infrastructure, illegal cross-border trade, lack of market information, traditional production methods, and absence of grading systems. As a result, producers often receive low prices and have limited access to export markets. The key actors in the value chain, are input suppliers, farmers, traders, cooperatives, exporters, abattoirs, and consumers. However weak linkages and lack of coordination among these actors lead to inefficiencies. The trends in Ethiopia's livestock exports have fluctuated, with live animal exports exceeding meat product exports due to supply constraints and inability to meet quality standards for processed meat. The review highlights opportunities to strengthen the value chain through infrastructure upgrades, improved market information systems, promoting quality standards, and aligning production with export requirements. Coordinated efforts involving the government, private sector, and development partners are needed to address the challenges and unlock the potential of Ethiopia's meat animal value chain for the benefit of producers, traders, consumers, and the overall economy.

Objectives: This study used the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) to quantify the long-term trends for four cancers (oral cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer) that have undergone cancer screening in Taiwan.

Methods: DALYs were calculated as the sum of Years of Life Lost (YLL) due to premature mortality and Years Lived with Disability (YLD). YLLs were determined using cancer-specific mortality data from the Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Ministry of Health and Welfare, based on age-specific life expectancy. YLDs were estimated by combining the incidence rates of the cancers, average disability durations, and disability weights, with data sourced from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. Results were expressed as DALYs per 100,000 population.

Results: The disease burden has significantly increased over the past 12 years. Oral cancer rose from 263 to 368 DALYs per 100,000 population (40 % increase), colorectal cancer from 343 to 563 DALYs (64 % increase), and breast cancer from 446 to 782 DALYs (75 % increase), while the burden of cervical cancer decreased from 168 to 147 DALYs per 100,000 population from 2010 to 2017, showing a 13 % reduction. At the cancer stages, the impact of YLDs was mostly at cancer stage IV (oral cancer), cancer stage 0 (colorectal and cervical cancer), and stage I (breast cancer).

Conclusion: Oral cancer increased by 40 %, colorectal cancer by 64 %, and breast cancer by 75 % from 2005 to 2017, while cervical cancer decreased by 13 % between 2010 and 2017. YLD contributions were highest in stage IV for oral cancer, stage 0 for colorectal and cervical cancers, and stage I for breast cancer. The highest DALYs consistently occurred in the 50-69 age group across all cancer types, highlighting the significant burden on middle-aged populations.

Regularly consuming orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) is widely recognised as an effective way to treat vitamin A deficiency (VAD), particularly in low-income countries. Unfortunately, cultivars of OFSP are poorly disseminated in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where VAD is a major cause of blindness. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the genotype-environment interaction (GEI) on the performance and stability of the yield components of OFSP cultivars to trigger their adoption by farmers. Nine OFSP genotypes were evaluated through a multi-environment trial (MET) carried out in 14 environments and in a complete randomised block (RCB) design to select the best genotypes based on the multi-trait mean performance and stability index (MTMPS) and participatory variety selection (PVS). The across-environment likelihood ratio test (LRT) showed significant differences across environments, genotypes, and GEIs for all traits studied, except for the number of marketable roots (NMR). Our findings revealed that genotypes ACAB, Apomuden, and BF59xCIP had satisfactory mean performances and stabilities across all evaluation environments. The PVS revealed that farmers assigned high importance to yield performance for field evaluation and root dry matter content. In addition, they prioritized many different traits, such as the attractiveness of orange flesh colour and the lower fibrousness of boiled roots. The genotypes preferred by farmers were ACAB and Apomuden, generally followed by BF59xCIP, indicating excellent concordance between the genotypes selected with the MTPMPS and those selected by farmers during the PVS. We concluded that farmers' participation in the OFSP genotype evaluation process for future dissemination is necessary to select the most suitable genotypes for production and increase the chances of adopting of these genotypes in rural areas. ACAB and Apomuden will be submitted for registration in the national catalogue.

Intensification of shrimp farming practices has increased the number and severity of disease outbreaks globally. As a result, diseases have become a significant barrier to profitable and sustainable shrimp production. Shrimp farming practices are reviving in India after its downfall in the late 90s. However, these farming practices also witness disease outbreaks due to viral and bacterial infections. Among the bacterial infections, Vibrios are the most important bacterial causative agents found in shrimp farms. They are ubiquitous and invariably seen in shrimp production conditions as opportunistic pathogens. The present study was conducted to identify the bacterial pathogens associated with the shrimp Penaeus vannamei farming systems along the Ratnagiri coast. In all, two farming units were selected: Varavade farm - a six-year-old farm, and Chinchkhari farm, a new virgin farm. The water and sediment samples were collected from January to May 2022 throughout culture period of one crop. The total plate count (TPC) of the shrimp farm water samples of the Varavade farm varied from 4.35 to 6.32 log10 CFU mL^-1. In the sediments, the minimum value of TPC was 4.99 log10 CFU g^-1, while the maximum value observed was 7.25 log10 CFU g^-1. The Total Vibrio count (TVC) of water samples from Varavade farm varied from 4.01 to 5.63 log10 CFU mL^-1. In the sediments, the minimum value of TVC was 4.64, while the maximum value observed was 6.56 log10 CFU g^-1. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference in TPC and TVC (p < 0.05) among different days of culture. The TPC of the shrimp farm water samples of the Chinchkhari farm varied from 5.22 to 8.17 log10 CFU mL^-1. In the sediment, the minimum value of TPC was 5.87, while the maximum value was observed at 8.45 log10 CFU g^-1. The TVC of water samples from the Chinchkhari farm varied from 4.75 to 6.89 log10 CFU mL^-1. In the sediment, the minimum value of TVC was 5.16, while the maximum value observed was 6.70 log10 CFU g^-1. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference in TPC and TVC (p < 0.05) among different days of culture. The bacterial load was observed to increase with the progression of the culture period on both farms. The usage of probiotics, chemicals, and water exchange was observed to promote a decrease in the bacterial community.